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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28886313">what the water gave me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/slingbees/pseuds/slingbees'>slingbees</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Exposition, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Sloppy First Kiss, Strangers to Lovers, accidentally calling a practical stranger the name of an old lover? embarrassing, everything is the same except for Niflheim and Tenebrae sank underwater after Aera's death, this has implications about prompto but this isn't about him, verstael is an octomer, verstael? merstael</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:56:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28886313</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/slingbees/pseuds/slingbees</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Verstael, who never trusted or really even listened to anyone, found himself enjoying hearing the man speak. Was this a form of companionship? He was wary of entertaining those kinds of questions. Nothing good would come from being too friendly with his own research subject.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Verstael Besithia/Ardyn Izunia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Movielover52/gifts">Movielover52</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Gift fic for @movielover52 on twitter!! From the ships listed, I chose versdyn, because I'm the most familiar with it and of the prompts suggested I chose mer au, because I had an idea for a drawing, but it became so complicated it wouldn't fit into just a drawing and now it's a fic!! And then I realized I needed some kind of mental image just for myself, so I also ended up drawing something while I wasn't busy writing.<br/>Merry (late) Christmas!<br/>Also there are a million songs called "What the Water Gave Me" but I don't know any of them but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7MZBYJ8rjY">this one by birdeatsbaby,</a> which is also the only song I know by them. The lyrics aren't relevant or anything but like you can listen to it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> The blood of the Oracle spilled, the western continent did bear the Tidemother’s grief </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> Its children she claimed, and they became as her likeness </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> By her mercy, through metamorphosis were they spared </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> Blessed House Fleuret, adorned by the Six with gifts beyond ken of men or mer </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> With their landborn allies of the Heavens, cast the dwelling of Angels beneath the waves </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> May Her vast embrace guide Adagium, from which all shadows stem, to obscurity </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> - Cosmogony </em></p><hr/><p>Three weeks from Niflheim's capital to the far end of the Lucian continent.</p><p>Convincing the Emperor of the value of his research into human civilization was difficult enough. The voyage was nearly canceled altogether, until Verstael agreed to take only two soldiers with him. It was certainly more cost effective.</p><p>To have actually found the location of the sunken island of Angelgard was the discovery of a lifetime. It was actually a point of embarrassment, if he was honest with himself. After comparing multiple texts that only acknowledged its existence in terms of common cultural knowledge, he had found nothing of significance. Not until he happened to compare what little he knew to modern day human urban myths. Though he studied their mythology, current information was difficult to obtain without proper contacts in human society. </p><p>Angelgard’s sinking was spoken of in texts that went back millennia, and an investigation into records of geological activity in the area supported the idea that it sank about two thousand years ago. </p><p>The rocky peaks of the island were only visible just above the water’s surface at low tide, but it had a reputation. The rocks made the waters too treacherous, no joyriders dared go out that far, unless they were drunk or stupid. There were records of more than a few shipwrecks at various points even in recent history. </p><p>When he found the island, his intention upon arrival was to look for some fabled source of fearsome power, or exaggerated tales of a looming darkness among some ruins. What he didn’t expect to find was a fully intact building.</p><p>The rocks formed a clearing in the center, where the ground dipped a bit lower. No plants or mossy algae grew on the structure itself or the rocks around it. Even the wildlife seemed to steer away from the place, the only signs of life broken wreckage that had obviously seen better days. It was as if nothing in the clearing could grow. The water was too still.</p><p>At the center of the clearing, there was a dip in the sunken rock, and a narrow building covered in raised carvings out of the stone it was made of. The fact that inscription above the massive engraved bronze door was written in languages of both human and mer was not insignificant.</p><p>Verstael was going to have a field day once his retinue cracked it open.</p><p>Down to the lack of any wear on it, it appeared much like the buildings created in honor of the imperial bloodline. Perfect. Unnaturally preserved, by enchantment. Yet the engravings were different, human designs depicting scenes and creatures Verstael had only ever heard of before. If the handiwork was human, and the buildings resembled those in Gralea, perhaps humans and mer had more history than anyone remembered. This was a collaborative effort. Something was hidden here that both species wanted to keep from prying eyes.</p><p>Verstael swam closer, propelling himself through the water to the intricate slab that covered the entrance. The octopus mer could easily lose himself just studying the craftsmanship, but that wasn’t what he came here for. He traced the engraved warning with too-thin hands, his dark nails scratching lightly on the stone. <em> “Let that which is best forgotten lie where it fell.” </em></p><p>“Here be monsters,” he murmured aloud.</p><p>The bronze slab of the door proved a problem, but one that two guards could make quick work of. The younger mer, a woman named Fallon, and the older man with the lower half of a seahorse, Cato, set to work with the tools brought along with them to remove the door from its hinges. </p><p>Verstael moved out of their way, supervising from a distance. They worked thin pieces of metal into the tight space between the door and the stone, prying it away from its seal. Once it had shifted enough, they used their hands, pushing against the stone structure until it swung open, the metal door falling to the seabed and stirring the sediment in muddy swirls.</p><p>He propelled himself towards the entrance, leaving the guards outside as he began his work. </p><p>The water as Verstael entered the building was unnaturally stifling in a way he had never before felt. As if the walls exerted a kind of pressure. He swallowed his nerves, unwilling to back down after all the trouble he went through just to get there. No human superstition was going to get to his nerves, if he had anything to say about it.</p><p>The inside of the pentagonal structure was narrow, but ran deeper than the outside suggested. He clung to the wall with his tentacles, trailing along the side, until he brushed against something. Cold and hard, he reached out to it with his hand. A thick chain, evidently also magicked, remained unrusted. It was holding tight to something above him, tight, with little to no sway in the too still waters.</p><p>With his hands, Verstael followed the chain, pulling himself up with his arms. Until his hand met something smooth instead, he recoiled from the feeling of flesh against his own fingertips, not unlike his own skin. His breath stopped for just a moment, waiting for retaliation. When it didn’t come, he reached into his pack for his driftglobe, a small orb that he palmed at until it illuminated under his touch, emitting just enough light to see by.</p><p>The chain was attached to the manacles around the ankles of a very human pair of legs. The human had a lean, bordering on emaciated torso, his arms were bound at either side by matching chains. When Verstael looked up, he was staring into the face of a man with long red hair. Eyes closed, lips parted and decidedly blue. </p><p>Dead?</p><p>
  
</p><p>"It can't be that simple," said Verstael, grinding his teeth together. </p><p>There was a possibility that he hadn't been in the sealed tomb for long, but the ancient building had no signs of wear despite its age. Perhaps he had been here since it was sealed, either option equally alarming. </p><p>He put his hands against the human's bare torso, touching the velvety flesh, thoroughly soaked with seawater. Pressing with his thumbs, the skin didn't give way, flesh still uncomfortably firm for a man who was supposedly here for millennia.</p><p>A seemingly freshly-dead human specimen was still valuable. The texts he spent so long translating had seriously overplayed their descriptions of the island. And yet the human was in perfect condition. He would have to take a sample of the water. Perhaps there was some strange property to the water that kept it preserved. After all, if he had been in this state even for more than a few months, the body would hardly be recognizable as human. And… it felt to him that he was dealing with much more than that.</p><p>"It's obvious that this is a crypt,” he muttered. “One with unusual circumstances, but a human couldn’t-- no, even a mer could not survive long here. What an utter waste."</p><p>He stared a few moments longer. How could this be all there was to it? </p><p>With a sigh, Verstael released a small stream of bubbles from his lips, then did something unthinkable. With his ear pressed against the human's chest, he barely breathed at all himself. Listening. </p><p>Though the human didn't breathe, as he timed it he heard the tiniest, faintest fluttering. <em> Thump. thump. thump. </em> There was a heartbeat, faint, sporadic, but it was there. The human was alive after all. <em> Extraordinary. </em></p><p>He trailed his hands down the man's abdomen. The skin was smooth, unmarred by gills or scales, any texture common among mer. There were scars, certainly, but they were old and silver by now, barely noticeable except for the way they caught the light of the driftglobe making it stand out. The pelvic region was the last familiar thing on his body. The legs were bound by the cuff that tethered him down, but each ended in an equally strange appendage. His hand reached down to the bound feet, clasping them in his hands. Both of his hands clasped the feet, counting the toes, studying the clear, pink nails. Verstael was well aware of human anatomy, studying those lost at sea when he had the rare opportunity. He understood what a human was. But seeing it so well preserved in person - touching it - was so, so strange.</p><p>He moved again so that he was at eye level with the human, his lower half beginning to coil around his find. He shouldn't get too familiar, but he could scarcely contain his excitement. He would come back with a proper team to remove the drowned man.</p><p>No. For now, he wanted this discovery to himself. This was it. He wasn't sure what was urging him on to save the man, but he was overcome with a sense that it was important. The words written in the ancient texts he studied for any trace of anything useful told him enough. Whatever was found on the island was valuable in some capacity. That included this man.</p><p>The man who lived, despite his drowned state. The man who had been here for two millennia, when the island sank. So valued, or reviled, among his people that they had enshrined him in his death. What an extraordinary creature.</p><p>Verstael wanted to study him, wanted nothing more than to feel the pulse of the other man under his skin, no matter how faint or faraway it was. </p><p>He found his eyes drawn to the unfamiliar forms of his legs. For some reason he found the almost scrawny shape appealing, even though the man was so lean, no doubt from ages of starvation. Getting the human to eat once he was extracted would be difficult. With the breathing apparatus, a small orb that sat on the tongue, he would have to remove it in order to eat, to avoid swallowing the pearl. Getting him back to a healthy weight would prove an interesting challenge. Not that he apparently even needed it. The man survived this long, underwater, completely without any oxygen. He very much doubted the man could be killed. After all, why bother building a prison for a dead man? The only reason for the elaborate stone prison was to keep him inside. </p><p>To keep Verstael from doing exactly what he was doing.</p><p>What a beautiful specimen. </p><p>He couldn’t wait to wake him up. He would analyze the samples for hours, get as much use as he could from his physical data, and then he would wake him. After studying him for so long, if he proved to be a detriment, they would know how to detain him. </p><p>For a time, he sat with the human, sorting out his next move. The moment he returned to Gralea, he planned to learn everything he could from the man. If the tomb remained undisturbed for as long as it appeared, then he could survive transport, and surely a few weeks longer, for study? </p><p>The thought gave him the shivers. He was on the brink of something amazing, he could feel it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh, I forgot to leave a link but you can view the full image for the drawing on my <a href="https://slingbees.tumblr.com/post/640884935915454464">tumblr</a> or my <a>twitter!</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Research Log, subject</em> <em>"Adagium":</em></p><p>
  <em> Transporting the subject - who I am calling Adagium for the time being, as I suspect the texts I discovered were written in reference to him in their accounts - proved to be more troublesome than I thought. The venture back wasn't exactly difficult, but between my two guards, neither seemed especially enthused about his presence. In particular, the younger of the two seemed more unnerved. She voiced her unfounded concerns quite frequently on the return trip, to my great annoyance. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Nevertheless, the subject is now contained within my lab. I am currently logging this information from the comfort of my workspace, with the human behind a thick sheet of glass for observation. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The more time I spend studying the human, the more I wish to know about the subject. The physical aspect intrigues me, of course. A human that can't be drowned is an exciting enough find on its own, and further testing has even revealed that his condition extends far beyond that. Sustained injuries heal in the blink of an eye, and since it's clear that in two thousand years, the man has not aged much, if at all. </em>
</p><p><em> But who </em> was <em> he in his own time? What series of misfortunes allowed this to come together? Certainly, humans innately possess a certain amount of magic. More than any mer, save the favored Tenebresians. But this man did not become trapped in Angelgard by chance. If my translations are accurate, though written descriptions were vague - intentionally so, no doubt - this man was at least accused of having done something worthy of his punishment. Perhaps he was placed in the tomb because there was no alternative, due to his extraordinary abilities. </em></p><p>
  <em> I intend to attempt to wake him, and welcome him back to the world of the living. </em>
</p><hr/><p>He cupped Adagium’s face in his hands, turning his head to the side to look at him. Fingers on his throat, checking his vitals again. He cradled the man’s head in one arm, while his mouth was pried open with the other, and the pearl placed inside. Once they got some air circulating, he should regain consciousness. </p><p>Now all they had to do was wait.</p><p>Color began to return to his cheeks, slowly, the blue hue leaving his skin. And finally, at long last, after nearly two thousand years, Adagium took a breath.</p><p>He was breathing! What a revelation, the gift of fresh life. The man lived after all.</p><p>Now the only thing that remained to be seen was whether he was intelligent. If the man awoke at all, there was a high chance that he would be completely unresponsive. By most measures, he registered as being officially dead. Yet he still had a pulse. The cold, blue-tinged skin, the fact that he didn’t draw breath, yet his heart was still trying to pump something through his veins; there was a chance that his brain activity would never fully return. </p><p>But still… he lived, didn’t he? It was as if the man were taunting him. Begging for his secrets to be unlocked.</p><p>The man’s eyes fluttered open dramatically, his eyes an unnatural golden color. Not an unpleasant one, Verstael decided, but the humans he had met in his time had never displayed such a hue. Not that he had spent much time looking into the eyes of the human diplomats he was forced to make nice with.</p><p>The eyes that met Verstael’s were the most broken eyes he’d seen in a long time. </p><p>And he was staring. Of course he was.</p><p>Then he seemed to realize that there was something in his mouth at that moment, crossing his eyes slightly. Verstael put his arms on Adagium’s shoulders, trying to relax him preemptively.</p><p>“That’s a breathing apparatus, don’t swallow it,” said Verstael. “If you don’t keep it in your mouth, you’ll be drowned, and probably lose consciousness again.”</p><p>Adagium’s wide golden eyes remained trained on Verstael.</p><p>Probably he couldn’t understand mer, he realized. How frustrating. The questions that remained unanswered still could only be solved by earning the answers from the human himself. Well, Verstael realized, clenching his hands for a moment, he hadn’t thought of how difficult it would be for him not to be able to speak to his specimen. Lacking the gift of communication was infuriating. Or perhaps he was too talkative. Some would probably say that, yes.</p><p>He seemed to realize at once that he shouldn’t be so close to him without observing him first, the second Adagium lifted one of his hands, arm twitching towards him. He thought about sliding away through the water to escape his touch, but before he could say anything, Cato rushed to his side to shove him away from the offending human. </p><p>Before Verstael’s eyes, his guard disappeared. One moment he was there, reacting to what he perceived as aggression, and the next, there was only Adagium’s outstretched hand, holding nothing but the air. The man looked as though he had never meant to catch the seahorse mer in his grasp, and when the man burst into purple particles that unfurled like a bloom in the water, he looked just as stunned as Verstael. That was it. He darted away from Adagium, hiding on the other side of the room, sealing the door in the glass wall behind him.</p><p>What did he do? Where was his soldier? Vanished? That was almost <em> his </em> fate.</p><p>He peeked back into the room, watching as Adagium stared at his own hands. The human held his upper arms with both hands, seemingly staring at nothing. He started to look around, realizing he didn’t recognize this place. The hard black stone of Verstael’s lab floor wasn’t the most welcoming place to reemerge in the world. </p><p>More importantly, he needed to calm himself. </p><p>He reentered the room slowly, with caution, crossing the floor to reach the human. Against his judgement, he put his palms against the broad shoulders once again. Whatever he had accidentally caused to happen to Cato had clearly not done much for his mental state, but it appeared accidental. Adagium wasn’t going to hurt Verstael unless he upset him further.</p><p>“Breathe,” said Verstael, squeezing his shoulders tight enough that his nails bit into the skin ever so slightly. “Focus, deep breaths.”</p><p>He spoke in plain, simple phrases in the common human tongue. There was a chance that he couldn’t understand even that, between likely sustained brain damage and ever evolving language. At any rate, restraining him slightly seemed to ground him. His breathing began to even, becoming only a soft puff instead of ragged and frantic. His chest heaved, but he was staring at Verstael again, holding his hands dumbly out to the sides away from himself, as if afraid it might happen again.</p><p>“Calm down, calm down,” Verstael said, releasing him. He could have been in very real danger, if he hadn’t been successful. “Alright?”</p><p>He stared at him for a moment. </p><p>“Where am I?”</p><p>Verstael’s eyes went wide. The human’s reply was in mer, of all things.</p><p>"You understand me?" asked Verstael, almost annoyed that he had made a fool of himself by trying to speak his tongue. If there was one thing that frustrated him more than lack of communication, it was looking like a simpleton because he couldn't articulate himself. "How?"</p><p>"I… don't know," said Adagium, eyes looking to the floor. "Your companion was here, and then I--"</p><p>"What did you do to him?"</p><p>"I never meant to--"</p><p>"It's alright. Please. Explain yourself calmly, I'm not upset with you. I just want to understand what you've shown me," he said. He realized this man was going to require a delicate touch, at least at first. It was obvious that whatever this power was, it was news to him as well, and Verstael was all too happy to help him understand it.</p><p>"I've never seen others of your kind before," the human mumbled, holding the pearl in his cheek carefully while he thought. "Not with my own eyes, at least. I expect, wherever you found me, I must have been there for some time…"</p><p>He trailed off, but clearly he expected an answer.</p><p>"I don't know how long," admitted Verstael. "I can make an educated guess, but I was hoping you could tell me yourself."</p><p>"I don't know," he said again, eyes grim and downcast. "His memories… I couldn't say how much time has passed."</p><p>Verstael drifted closer to him again, eyes roaming just a little as he studied the babbling human. He touched his upper arm gently, hoping to simulate a comforting touch. "That's alright as well. Why don't we start with your name? My name is Verstael Besithia. You may call me Verstael, if it's easier. I want to make sure you're comfortable, if this is to benefit both of us."</p><p>Adagium looked at the hand resting on his arm for a moment, as if he only just noticed the strange coloration of the dark nails, common to mer. </p><p>"My name is Ardyn Lucis Caelum."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Two thousand years ago, Adagium was the only man who could cure a fatal blight that ravaged the land above. I’m speaking of course of the starscourge. I’ve seen my share of monsters, but never before have I heard of a cure beyond the one offered by the Oracle, who offers her services to men and mer alike. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Exposure is extremely uncommon among mer-- enough that when Ardyn corrupted Cato, I didn’t realize what was happening. At least, not at first. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Ardyn doesn’t even seem to know what his own power is capable of. He gained comprehension of the mer language after absorbing the memories of my guard. We can now converse freely, despite the fact that neither of us spoke the other’s language with any fluency. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And the more I coax him into using his abilities for study, the fewer qualms he has about using them. I've reached an understanding with him; if he does all that I ask of him, he will be rewarded. Positive reinforcement does wonders for his motivation. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The man’s name, proper, is Ardyn Lucis Caelum. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> That alone has devastating implications for the royal line he evidently belongs to. Implications that I am content to explore at a later time. For now, all I'm concerned with is Ardyn himself.  </em>
</p><hr/><p>Ardyn made no attempt to leave the laboratory, and never asked to do so. Therefore there was no reason to keep him prisoner. </p><p>Instead, most of his time was spent clumsily roaming the underwater compound, as a subject in Verstael’s workspace, or asleep in the spare room provided to him. He wasn’t entirely forthcoming with answers, but he did as he was told when prompted most of the time. He revealed details in tantalizingly slow tidbits, clearly as some kind of leverage. </p><p>A favorite meal of his, an anecdote from his work as a healer, the finer details of the scourge, but little about his personal life. He could give Verstael detailed accounts of what the scourge was like if left to grow naturally, instead of being spread by his hand. It was almost as if Adagium were re-remembering these things himself, relearning how to exist.</p><p>He didn’t seem to know how he had come to possess the ability to spread the disease. When asked, he openly admitted that he didn’t even know he possessed it until he first demonstrated it for Verstael. </p><p>Verstael, who never trusted or really even listened to anyone, found himself enjoying hearing the man speak. Was this a form of companionship? He was wary of entertaining those kinds of questions. Nothing good would come from being too friendly with his own research subject.</p><p>Then again, the subject was completely cut off from any other contact. Simulating socialization needs would probably be beneficial in the long run. Healthy, even. Without it, he would begin to wither and die again. </p><p>So let the man talk. Let him ramble on and on about what he’d learned through his own experience or another’s, or divulge one more tidbit about his past. What Verstael was really interested in was studying the virus, and eventually Ardyn would give him something to work with.</p><p>The creatures he could create - “daemons” as Ardyn so eloquently called them. Nothing like that existed in Niflheim prior to his arrival. Verstael kept the only specimens confined in his research lab. Exposure to the sun was harmful, but unless the waters were shallow, death was slow, so it was unwise to let them roam.</p><p>The same was true of Ardyn, but the sun that seared him did not actually harm him. Verstael had once hoped to learn something about human history, but Ardyn himself wasn’t actually human at all. </p><p>Maybe that was what intrigued him. His limbs were uselessly inefficient for swimming, but he was different from other humans. Less annoying, perhaps?</p><p>He’d had to provide him with more suitable clothing, of course. The only garment he wore when Verstael found him was the rags that covered his lower body. Verstael wasn’t able to supplement him with new pants, but as far as his torso went… Well, the only option was for him to wear the casual coverings worn by guards on their time off. The openings on the sides of the garment were meant to give a mer’s gills room to breathe, but Ardyn had no need for them. The sleeveless, skin tight neckline was rather flattering on him, but without hiring a tailor there was little to be done about his legs. The rags had to be enough to last until then.</p><p>Verstael often had to wake him when he needed him for testing. He wasn’t always asleep in his downtime, but after two thousand years spent comatose, one would have thought that he would have enough sleep. Apparently not. </p><p>The man could sleep through a second Astral war, if left sufficiently undisturbed.</p><p>Ardyn’s room was truthfully more like a large storage closet, long enough to sit up in, and fit in a cheap sleeping mat, and found him exactly as expected. Passed out on the cheap sleeping mat, with a faint smile on his lips. </p><p>Before Verstael could reach out to touch him, he paused. Ardyn’s chest didn’t rise and fall like it normally did, he wasn’t breathing. </p><p>Had he swallowed the pearl? Normally, humans who visited didn’t stay very long, because sleeping with the breathing device in one’s mouth wasn’t very feasible, but Ardyn was a special case. No, his skin was its usual hue, a bit pale from so long without decent exposure to the sun, but otherwise normal. </p><p>He placed his hand over Ardyn’s neck, checking his pulse again. The pulse was still there, certainly stronger than the first time he had felt it. Verstael had already recorded plenty of data confirming the man’s absurd physiology, but each time it was strange to witness. He had simply stopped breathing in his sleep - <em> not that uncommon, really </em> - but it caused him no harm. Realizing his hand had been left there too long, he jerked his hand away from Ardyn’s pulse.</p><p>Spreading the umbrella of his lower half, he lowered himself to the floor so that he could be at eye level with the human, simply watching him for a moment.</p><p>He should wake him, right? There was much work to be done, after all. Ardyn might have had all the time in the world, but Verstael was a busy mer. </p><p>Yet for some reason, he was just… content to watch him like this. For a few moments anyway.</p><p>Until Ardyn turned his head towards him.</p><p>Golden eyes opened slowly, only about halfway; Verstael wasn’t sure if he really saw him at all.</p><p>His form shifted slightly, bringing his arm over the edge of the bed to reach out to the now frozen mer. Verstael once again found himself frozen solid, too perplexed to move. The gesture wasn’t particularly quick, and not even really alarming, but he couldn’t help but think of what happened to his guard. For a moment, he was pretty sure he stopped breathing as Adagium’s hand made contact with his head. He said nothing and simply closed his eyes, waiting for his end.</p><p>Only, nothing came.</p><p>Instead, the hand on his head wove itself into his hair, stroking slightly. </p><p>His eyes flew open again, closing in on Ardyn, whose own eyes had fluttered shut again. <em> He was still asleep. </em> </p><p>Verstael opened his mouth but found himself lacking the air to say anything of value, instead letting Ardyn’s hand go briefly limp on top of his head, resting there. After a moment, the hand twitched again, fighting off sleep as he resumed his touch.</p><p><em>“Oh, Aera…”</em> he mumbled, slightly muffled as his hand dipped lower, to the side of Verstael’s face.</p><p>His hand began to cup the side of his head, making a motion as if preparing to pull Verstael in closer. Farther down, Ardyn’s hand brushed the neatly trimmed hair of Verstael’s sideburns. With a frown, and without opening his eyes, he started to trail his fingers to the center of Verstael’s chin, feeling for the patch of his beard beneath his lower lip. </p><p>Before his thumb could make contact though, Verstael tore himself away, fleeing Ardyn for a second time, leaving only a trail of bubbles in the water behind him.</p><p>His head was spinning, he couldn’t keep up with whatever had just happened. He didn’t even stop to see if Ardyn had truly realized where he was and awakened, too busy scattering his limbs as he scrambled to leave the room.</p><p>He ducked around the first corner he came across in the hall, hiding himself against the wall while he collected his thoughts. A tint flecked across his skin, taking on the hue of the blue-grey wall behind him as he tried desperately to disappear. If he closed his eyes, he almost disappeared altogether. What was he doing? A man in his forties, and he was hiding from a tender touch like a schoolchild.</p><p>His heart was pounding too. <em> Ugh. </em> Who was Aera? Not the Tenebresian Oracle? The very first was the only one Ardyn could ever have known. Back then, what became Tenebrae sank along with the rest of the continent, and the mer… Well, Verstael wondered if this was truly the first time Ardyn had ever met a mer.</p><p>Moments passed, and Ardyn never came curiously poking his head around the corner to see what had become of the man he evidently confused for a former lover, as he had expected. </p><p>Whatever. All questions for another time. Verstael didn’t want to think about it anymore. He almost debated crawling back into bed to sort out his thoughts, and it wasn’t even yet noon.</p><p>The test would have to wait too - at the very least, Verstael decided he wasn’t going to be the one to wake Ardyn, if there was going to be a repeat of this incident. He was too confused to even be distraught about his initial fears.</p><p>Really, what was wrong with him?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>A few days have passed since my last log. I’ve accomplished very little in this time, but it isn’t for the lack of effort - or even the idea that I haven’t been working during this time - that I haven’t recorded my thoughts here. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ever since the… incident the other day, which I will not speak of, I’ve been unable to conduct myself properly in public. My behavior has been entirely unprofessional, I know; it’s fortunate that my laboratory is relatively isolated. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t know what to make of his behavior. I don’t believe he’s going out of his way to antagonize me, I find myself confused. Perhaps he’s only bored. While I believe what happened during the incident was an accident, he’s become… friendlier with me than before. I’m not certain that’s the right word for it. Too familiar? Of course, I intend to continue my study of the subject, but I’ve - for the time being - begun to keep contact with him to a minimum. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I almost regret giving him the run of the place, since I’ve been spending time holed up in my office  just to avoid him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Gods, that such a simple thing could send me into such a panic, even triggering my camouflage reflex-- forget it. I shouldn’t say anything more incriminating than I already have.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Verstael sucked in through his teeth, shutting off the recording device in a hurry only after the door behind him swung open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it you want, Ardyn?” asked Verstael, hastily shutting the recording device in a drawer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This human was too curious for his own good. Not that there would be consequences, of course; the being known as Adagium had any reason to fear for his health.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I need a reason to see you? After all, what life is left for me above the waves?” hummed Ardyn as he sauntered over. “You are my only true companion, am I wrong in thinking so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was always a note of something whenever he spoke like that. Bitterness? Loneliness? For some reason, Verstael hoped it wasn’t resentment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched over his shoulder as Ardyn pushed the pearl around in his mouth with his tongue, just staring back and smiling at him. Verstael finally turned around to look at him properly, pulling himself with his limbs so that he was facing the other man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shouldn’t you be concerned that I’m going to drown you, or something? You </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> want something, when you come to pester me,” he sighed, defeated. A tiredness he hadn’t intended crept into his voice, more directed at himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Ardyn noticed his frustration, he ignored it, giving a soft chuckle as he maneuvered around him to sprawl across the table to render him unable to continue his work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would I be concerned about a silly thing like that?” asked Ardyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be coy, you know the old stories by now, ever since you disposed of my guard,” he muttered, turning away from Ardyn. Ardyn reported seeing the memories of those he bestowed his gift to, what point was there to pretending otherwise? “You’ve heard of sailors being drawn to their deaths by alluring young mer, never to be seen again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn’s shoulders shook with laughter. He was far too mirthful for a man who had only relatively recently come out of a two thousand year coma.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I suppose I’ll have nothing to worry about at all, since only one of those qualities applies to you,” he said, turning his head and poking the nearest of Verstael’s tentacles with one hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael yanked the appendage in question away from him as if he’d been bitten, growling under his breath. “If you’ve really just come here to bother me without an ulterior motive, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. I was nearly about to finish for the evening anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn sat up from the table, his smile falling. “You’re supposed to ask me </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘which one’</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ of those qualities applies to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Swimming away from Ardyn and his childishness, he was followed anyway. Even though he opened the door, flitted through, and pulled the door shut with the last arm out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t quick, but Ardyn was becoming annoyingly competent at maneuvering underwater. The door opened only moments later, the clumsy creature following behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not very sporting to abandon your charge,” Ardyn chastised him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suggest you learn to keep up,” said Verstael, slowing down despite himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had never been the nurturing type, after all. Why start now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was obvious that Ardyn wasn’t aware of his actions while half asleep. At least not fully. If he remembered at all, he had never mentioned it again. By this point, even the part of Verstael that sort of didn’t mind was relieved he had gotten away without speaking of it again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He realized that Ardyn was still talking to him. For all the information that the man divulged to him, it was difficult to get him to share anything of his past. To be painfully honest, he had never been very curious about Ardyn’s past until that day, either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes I wonder if you’re even listening to me,” Ardyn drawled, trailing only about a meter behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That he was able to warm up to Verstael at all was impressive. Ardyn behaved well enough, but mentally wasn’t in the best place, from what he gathered, and Verstael certainly didn’t make it easy to speak to him on a personal level. He was… above the need for companionship, or so he’d thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet he couldn’t stop himself from asking the questions he felt needed to be asked. The question, the memory of what happened was burning him alive. His gills flared as he sighed, and without turning around, he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who was Aera to you?” he blurted out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn stopped following behind him, long enough that Verstael realized he was no longer directly behind him. He turned, then propelled himself back towards the other’s side so that he could see him, analyze his expression as he answered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The first oracle, you mean?” he asked, his voice a bit weaker than Verstael had heard since he first awoke. “...Why do you ask?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t play games, Ardyn,” grunted Verstael, moving closer to him. “You won’t tell me what happened in your past. I’ve been patient, because your history is hardly the most remarkable thing about you, but when I ask a question, I’m not asking just to hear myself ponder aloud. Who was she?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn sighed, and let his feet touch the floor at last, setting his jaw while he thought. “No, I believe I know why you wish to know. I don’t fault you for being curious. Not since… Well. Nevermind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael curled his lip slightly, keeping his breathing even despite how easily Ardyn had piqued his attention with that. “Don’t begin an explanation you don’t intend to finish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know,” he murmured, a surprising note of genuineness in his tone. For once, when confronted, he was being honest. A pause. “I was betrothed to her. Once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael rolled his eyes, sliding ever closer to him. He couldn’t make his lower half move him the way he wished, his body felt like mush. What was he doing here?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps the past is better left undisturbed,” said Verstael, now only inches away from him. “I don’t particularly need the details of your lovelife.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn’s eyes narrowed slightly, cutting them at him with one eyebrow raised. “Are all of Leviathan’s chosen so impertinent? You have a rather tactless way of asking personal questions for entirely personal reasons. You don’t sound as though you’re trying very hard to hide your intentions, either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael’s gaze became harder, but he didn’t move away, looking up at him. This was a challenge now, though he didn’t fully understand why he took it as one. At least he could still save face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it you think I’m doing?” he asked. Smooth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Ardyn’s glowering smile spread into a full smirk. It shook Verstael’s nerve slightly and made him feel small. He had lost control of the situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And here I was certain that you were behaving this way on purpose,” he said, that irritating lilt entering his voice as he teased. “If you have yet to understand what it is you’re asking, then why don’t I give you a bit of time to figure it out on your own?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is there to understand. Can I not ask the man at the center of my research a personal question, out of curiosity?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nevermind that he never asked prying questions of any of his staff. He never made small talk, and he was never curious about the lives of others. If Ardyn was an exception, surely it must have been because he was the only human here: a novelty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn moved closer to him, not minding the tentacles that brushed his legs as Verstael backed against the hallway’s wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps I can give you a hint, if your vexation is clouding your brilliant mind so,” he said, humming. “Can you tell </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> something, then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael didn’t dignify him with an answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you come to know Aera’s name?” he asked. The creases under his eyes grew a bit deeper as a warm smile spread across his features. He laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael was certainly too old to fall for Ardyn’s mocking, and yet he felt like he was about to snap. His insides felt tight and tangled, his skin prickling with spite. He was never one to back away from a challenge. If he couldn’t win, he would make certain he played on his own terms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You told me her name yourself, and her significance,” he sniffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was obvious that Ardyn was more amused than anything else; it wasn’t really a question. Yet Verstael doubted that he had only been feigning being asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re entirely too easy to read, when you’re half addled with sleep,” said Verstael, his eyes flitting away from Ardyn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know what else to say about it. He could still imagine Ardyn’s hand on his cheek, skin prickling as if the hand was still there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn hummed quietly, as if in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, in my defense, I really didn’t know you were there,” he said, looking at his nails briefly. “I do apologize for startling you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael grunted in response, his eyes never leaving Ardyn’s face as he spoke. He really might snap, he was sure of it. Something was bubbling up inside his chest, itching at the base of his spine, and he could feel a twitch at his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Startling me,” he repeated, a slight pitch in his tone not quite turning it into a question. “Is that what you think? That you frightened me away like a little whelp, mewling for his mother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn seemed a bit surprised at his barely restrained response, turning his head to look back at him with genuine pause. “I… think that you very much weren’t expecting a tender caress from the monster you unearthed off the shore of Lucis. I admit my assessment of the situation may be off, as I was very nearly unconscious when you came to wake me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael steamed quietly, unsure if he was going to explode or die. Words were burning on the tip of his tongue, too many to decide what to say next. He squeezed his hands shut, scratching his nails to his palms silently instead. He was pretty sure he was scowling, but the poor creature couldn’t collect his thoughts long enough to tell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you well?” asked Ardyn, tilting his head as he leaned to look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With Ardyn so close to him, the pressure broke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael lunged at him, both hands flying to Ardyn’s neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, Ardyn flinched, until those thin hands found their way over his shoulders, grasping around his back, Verstael only using them to pull himself closer. The hands tangled in his messy hair, and for a moment he just hung there, holding Ardyn silently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither one of them was willing to speak as the seconds ticked by. Verstael clinged to his stunned form, until finally he became responsive again. Ardyn lifted his hands to Verstael’s lower back, returning the gesture. He still wore a bewildered expression, but it steadily softened into one of acceptance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael slowly curled his tentacles around Ardyn’s legs, gripping him gently, preparing himself emotionally as he processed what he was doing. “...How did I get here?” he murmured aloud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn smoothed one hand over Verstael’s back gently, relaxing in his hold. He raised his shoulders slightly, as best as he could in his position with the other hanging off of him so tight. “Didn’t I tell you that you’re more transparent than you think? For a moment there, my friend, I really thought you were going to strangle me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snorted. “I hardly need to. If I wanted you drowned, all it would take is to confiscate your breathing apparatus.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would have to try harder than that to be rid of me, if just being near me wounds your pride,” chuckled Ardyn. “But if you’re willing, I would allow you to demonstrate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael paused a moment, feeling a rush to his head as he lifted it from Ardyn’s neck to look into his eyes, his hands twitching uncomfortably again as he held back from squeezing Ardyn too tightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t thinking clearly, every consumed thought was erratic and useless. He knew this, but he found himself unable to resist Ardyn’s dare. That was what he wanted, wasn’t it? He was being dared, or perhaps his invitation was a genuine one-- what was he thinking? What made Ardyn so certain </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted to do this? His smug energy was infuriating. Enough that he followed through just to silence his torrenting thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn’s smirk faded away quicker than Verstael anticipated when he kissed him. Their lips pressed against each other with perhaps too much fervor. The fact that Ardyn was kissing him back only made him feel more triumphant, a satisfied smile tweaking at the corners of his mouth as he worked against the other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had a slow, tender way of kissing, as if cherishing the moment, opposite of Verstael’s desperate struggle. It forced him to slow down as well to match his pace.  He wanted more, too much more, whatever Ardyn had to give, but slowing down… was actually nice?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael gasped against him, the steady rhythm encouraging him to explore with his tongue, and Ardyn received him. Sure enough, there was the pearl. Ardyn was definitely swallowing the water that entered his mouth between gasps, Verstael realized. It wouldn’t do to have him drown again, but he teased him by toying with the pearl anyway. Right until Ardyn nipped at him, closing his mouth and breaking off the kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He yelped in surprise, but was obviously not hurt. Ardyn laughed, squeezing Verstael tighter at his waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was that so hard?” asked Ardyn, grinning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael’s serene expression shifted quickly, once again settling into a scowl. “Don’t mock me, Ardyn. I’ll put you back where I found you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’ll cooperate, so long as you release me first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A glance down confirmed that Verstael was indeed still wound tightly around him, far too tense for his grip to be comfortable. He loosened his hold, slowly untangling himself from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t toy with me, either,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His pride was a little on the fragile side, but he wasn’t going to admit it, as foolish as he felt. The number of people who could make Verstael feel the way he did… He wondered if the list could even be counted on one full hand, let alone two. It was maddening, an ugly little weakness, but so, so gratifying to relax for just a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was still staring, looking for answers in Ardyn’s expression. He wished he were as hard to read as Ardyn was in his waking hours, truly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One more quick peck, on a greedy whim, just for himself. Ardyn hardly deserved the satisfaction he knew his response had given him. Still, it had been what </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> needed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this what you wanted?” asked Verstael, his tone lower, softer than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly,” admitted Ardyn, smiling. “I expected nothing, but you delivered anyway. You asked me about my past… There’s no need to dig up things that will only hurt, ultimately, but… I don’t need those memories to let my hair down when life brings me a pleasant surprise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael mused quietly, then released him at long last, sliding away from him so that even his arms were no longer holding him absolutely still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was… probably crossing a line, to fraternize with his own research subject like this. It was, wasn’t it? It was. Of all the lines he had crossed in his work already, and only after much debate, why was this the one that he felt hesitation towards? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t matter, anyway, since Ardyn reciprocated. He already knew the man was more than capable of keeping a secret, when he wanted to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, his skin tingled pleasantly, electrifying him from his flushed cheeks to his fingertips. He wasn't sure if one kiss was going to be enough. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“There we are,” said Ardyn, releasing Verstael’s shoulders. “See? Not so bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael grimaced from where he now sat in the wheelchair, looking down at his lower half with distaste. He curled his tentacles, slowly, moving them out of the way of the wheels. “It’s wretched.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wished to move your research to the land above, didn’t you?” he asked, chuckling as he brushed a stray piece of wet hair out of Verstael’s face. “Stepping out of your comfort zone is never easy, I’m afraid. You’ll have to get used to the chair. Doesn’t dear Iedolas also use a chair during his few visits to the other nations?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groaned, slumping slightly in the chair. “It’s not the chair. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>air, </span>
  </em>
  <span>how could you stand this? Everything feels so… heavy. I can feel myself drying out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pavement of the landing was soaked from the water running off of Verstael’s body. Ardyn’s vest and shirt were damp in the front from lifting him out of the water, wrestling with him to get him seated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised his eyebrows slightly at that, but put his hands at his sides, nodding. “I suppose you have spent the entirety of your life until now underwater. I think you’ll learn to get used to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> necessary,” agreed Verstael, hesitant. “If my research is to succeed, it can only be conducted on dry land, and I must oversee it myself. We’ve already dismissed possible consequences of adjusting to the terrain, but actually leaving the water, the idea of returning to my old lab is certainly tempting…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve scouted ahead for you already,” said Ardyn, reaching into the bag attached to the back of the chair. He pulled out a small towel and began to dab at his shirt with it, then draped it across Verstael’s lap. “I know I’ve said as much before, but I really am amazed by how much has changed in the years I’ve been gone. The Emperor’s ship is ready, and there are warm clothes on board. How does that sound?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm, we’ll see,” said Verstael, pressing his lips together. “If whatever you’ve chosen for me is anything like your attire, I will probably have a few choice words for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn only laughed at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He requested Ardyn to assist him with the chair at first, after a few attempts to wheel himself proved more strenuous than he anticipated. Once he became adjusted to the feeling of being out of the water, he would manage on his own. For now, he had a lot on his mind anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The construction of the new facility had been a lot of back and forth between himself and Ardyn. While Verstael prepared his research materials, Ardyn dictated his specifications to the human construction team under a pseudonym. Verstael had yet to </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> the results, but was assured that everything was progressing smoothly via Ardyn's updates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that he had much time to leave the lab, of course, too busy disposing of the daemon samples before the move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Ardyn? His progress was astonishing. Based on what Verstael could observe of the process, he was aware that his mysterious abilities granted him the inherited memories of those he corrupted, and from this he could learn much about the world. With at least one human victim under his belt, he was savvy enough to perform this task for the mer. There was a concern, a small one, of the effect this ability had on Ardyn, but beyond listening to his few complaints at the end of a long day, Verstael hadn't studied it extensively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn wheeled Verstael up the ramp and onto the ship. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your kind would make a fortune selling this design to the locals," said Ardyn, whistling as they boarded. "And it sees so little use, too. You don't think that's a bit of a shame?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What would the humans even do with our ships? Only our dignitaries ever use them; His Radiance rarely leaves the capital, but when he does, he prefers to do it in style," he said, shrugging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, so the human crew required to operate this contraption is for your vanity."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ship was preparing to take off, so Ardyn brought Verstael to the large window where they could watch comfortably. There was a pair of sitting chairs that looked quite comfortable, with a table between them. Ardyn brought Verstael to the side of one of the chairs, where they could sit together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he could take his seat, Ardyn seemed to remember something, and approached one of said crew nearby. Verstael turned his chair just enough that he could crane his neck to see as the human passed a medium sized parcel into Ardyn's hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He returned with the parcel, sending the human on their way. Then, he placed it in Verstael's lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Open," he instructed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Verstael paused, then began to turn the paper packaging over, looking for somewhere to grip. He tore it carefully, opening the casing to find something soft and deeply crimson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rubbing the material between his thumbs, he tilted his head, then unfolded the fabric, discovering it to be a long sleeved shirt. Something fell when he let the shirt fall open, and Ardyn leaned over to pick up whatever it was while Verstael was focused on the garment in his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is what you've chosen?" he asked, turning it over and over, searching for something. "It has no openings in the sides."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn nodded, then patted Verstael's shoulder gently. "You know humans have no gills to worry about restricting airflow. Above the water, you're making proper use of your lungs, so it will be alright if they are covered by your attire."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael frowned, but began to peel off the garment he wore already. Ardyn, at his side already, assisted him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled a bit for a moment, trailing his fingers down the center of Verstael's chest. Verstael only stared up at him, so still he almost forgot to breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Arms up," Ardyn instructed softly, holding the shirt open so it would go over his head. "I did consider your comfort, of course. The fabric is made from natural fibers, and is a relatively loose fit. I thought you might complain once you saw the design, but give it a chance first."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With only a bit of complaint, Verstael helped him slip it over his head, and allowed him to adjust the hem over his sides. It felt… restricting, but he supposed he would live with it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My, doesn't that suit you?" hummed Ardyn, tucking Verstael's hair back again. "One other small thing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, he produced the dropped item from the package: a pair of gloves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought you might object to these, so I was careful with my selection - you'll notice this pair barely covers the wrist - but of course you'll probably only want to wear them for show around other humans," said Ardyn, passing them to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael eyed the back of his own hand, inspecting the dark nails and fingertips wryly. "I'll consider myself lucky that it won't be often that I'll speak to anyone outside of the new facility."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally seating himself, Ardyn nodded. "Lucky indeed. Astrals know you'd leap at any chance to avoid company. Present company excluded, nay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael rumbled just a little, folding the gloves neatly but not trying them on yet. He leaned back, not meeting the other's eyes as the ship began to move. Instead, he watched the window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't have to say it, though. His silence was more telling than any answer he might give Ardyn. At least, he figured that was why Ardyn was smirking at him in the corner of his eye anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Does leaving your home behind worry you?" asked Ardyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael flicked his eyes to him briefly, resting his cheek in his palm before looking out the window again as the coastline started to grow farther away. His other hand gripped the arm of his seat a bit tighter as they rose in the sky. “You know it doesn’t. There was little keeping me there, since my work requires me elsewhere. I’m building a more mobile army for my sub-aquatic nation, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, yes, you have explained bits and pieces to me already,” said Ardyn, leaning over the arm of his seat to look at him better. “I just don’t quite understand why this is how you’ve chosen to go about it. Your army… you’ve expressed before that you’re going to be using cloning technology created by you, yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael rolled his eyes, acutely aware of how close Ardyn was to him. “It seems counterproductive to you. Yes, I’m aware of the extra effort it is to move my work to an extra-aquatic facility, but my reasoning is sound. The soldiers I’ll create with your aid must be able to stand on two legs; in addition to using the miasma infused cores, during the cloning process itself, I plan to genetically modify them as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Modify? Aren’t you using your own genetic material?” he asked, a skeptical look in his half lidded eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, sighing. “Yes, yes. In this case, when I say ‘modification’ I’m referring to the fact that the clones will also be formed with human legs instead of resembling me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A twinkle flashed in Ardyn’s eyes for a moment as he snorted in amusement. “That does seem like creating more work for yourself, yes. Will it help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With any luck, it will make the transition smoother. After all, every living creature is born with some amount of natural instinct,” he said. “Since all I have to work with is myself, it’s just an extra precaution to make sure that the completed soldier…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He trailed off, gesturing with a roll of his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually knows what to do with its legs?” suggested Ardyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed. I fear putting such a creature into a bipedal vessel may still result in a shutdown, even though we’re starting with a blank slate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The genetic variants would be interesting though. He had charted out the possible genotypes himself, with unique results. Some could be born with other mer traits, such as half or even fully formed, possibly functioning, gills - none of which would matter, as long as each clone had two legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s take this one step at a time, shall we?” hummed Ardyn. “For now, you need to focus on acclimating to your new environment yourself. The facility will have all the comforts of home, of course, but I expect you’ll be spending a lot of time as a fish out of water, won’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t remind me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn readjusted himself in his seat, then brushed his hand against Verstael’s arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Verstael actually looked at him. He put his arm down, but accidentally brushed into Ardyn even more, giving him enough time for the other to catch his wrist in his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael looked amused at that, tilting his head back to look at him better. “What’s this? You’ve gone only a few months without seeing me in person. Did you miss me that terribly? Don’t be so sentimental.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He teased, but he didn’t move away from him. Of course he wouldn’t. Ever since that period of confusion, he couldn’t help himself if he wanted. Nearly a year had passed since then. Verstael wondered if that was as significant to Ardyn, to whom the years no longer mattered, as it was to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nerves are no reason to be cold, my friend,” said Ardyn, his smile really more of a grimace. He ran his thumb along Verstael’s knuckles, softening his eyes just a little. “Relax yourself, have a drink, if you like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm, no, no thank you. No need to add nausea to my list of grievances,” muttered Verstael, training his eyes on their hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Later, perhaps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reluctantly looked back to Ardyn, his breath hitching as he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, having any kind of relationship with any living being had been foreign to him, but those were no longer uncharted waters. As he understood, in Ardyn’s past he had been quite close to his betrothed, but fate, and the nature of the world, had changed when she was cut down. And then Ardyn’s life went up in flames.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verstael could not pretend that he cared about the finer details, or that his wants weren’t mostly selfish ones, but it brought him some comfort that neither of them had a particular advantage over the other, on that front. At least, that’s what he told himself, he wasn’t sure he had the capacity to dwell anymore deeply than that. They were… complicated, he guessed, in the most childish way he would allow himself to put it. Knowing that their unspoken arrangement was in place at all, knowing that he wasn’t only imagining it was enough to satisfy those needs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shifted in his seat finally, turning his upper body towards Ardyn, not even remotely shy. Ardyn only smiled, reaching his free hand to Verstael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn’s fingers brushed the nearly-dried hair away from his eyes, stroking the top of his hair gently. He trailed down the side of his face to cup Verstael’s cheek, stroking tenderly with his thumb, rocking just a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, Verstael let his eyes fall closed. He leaned his cheek into Ardyn’s hand, relishing the gesture meant this time for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His chest fluttered gently, pleasant and light as he stretched almost painfully to reach across the narrow gap between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn was the one to close that gap, pressing their lips together as he met him halfway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seconds seemed to stretch on forever as Verstael refused to let it end. He needed to breathe, but he was going to take all that Ardyn was offering, and Ardyn had so much to give. When they finally parted, it was because Ardyn broke their contact himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That amused spark danced in his eyes again, to Verstael’s annoyance. “Eager beast. I hope you know that whatever you wish, all you need do is ask. I’ll do whatever is in my power to give it to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His skin prickled pleasantly, bringing his hand to hold the one cupping his face, so he wouldn’t pull away. Nothing could have sounded more appealing to his ears. “Of course… That is what partners are for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ardyn laughed, looking out the window once again. The shore disappeared into the vaporous clouds of the stratosphere altogether, a rosy mist blocking it from view. As far as they were concerned, they were the only two who existed in that moment, in their own world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Partners. How could I possibly forget?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoyed!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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